Happy Halloween

Thanks for a great season!!

 Hi Rookie Green:

  I couldn't have asked for a better way to finish the season. Our boys came out hungry in the first half and put the hammer down... up 26-0. 2nd half.. we got to have a few kids play a few different positions.. and we won with class.

We finished with a record of 5-4... keep in mind the 4- losses came to teams that were all still in the playoffs at the start of today. Yes... 8 teams left in the playoffs... we lost to 4 of them.. one of those game was a one point loss and the other was a 5- point loss to 7-1 5- star Liberty.

It was a pleasure coaching your kids this season. Thanks to coach Eric for basically being the "other" head coach and really getting things organized early in the season with Shannon..  Coaches Rob and Bill were there all season with their passion and direction... Field manager Mize... our video staff... and all the great parents and kids I say thank you.

Amy Simpson will be sending out an e-mail about a post season party.

Until then,,,, enjoy!!!



Coach Mike

Game - Saturday October 30th at 11:00 am - Skyline

Rookie Green:

  As fate would have it... our last game of the season is Saturday at Skyline vs the "other" Issaquah team we scrimmaged from time to time... Issaquah Purple. We're home at 11am... have the kids there by 9:45... and we're wearing Green.


Coach Mike

SYFA 2010 ~ YEAR-END PARENT PARTY!!!

Hey folks – it’s that time of year again – where we Parents get together for a fun night out to celebrate a great football season !!

For those of you that have attended this party before – you know how much fun it is – and we hope to see you again…!

For those of you that are new to SYFA and/or have not attended this party in the past – we encourage you to get your tickets and come join in the fun – we promise you will not be disappointed…!

We went away from the fundraising auction several years ago – now it is; Happy Hour(s), a great Dinner and fun Music & Dancing!  This year we will again have our dinner catered by  BIG HOUSE BBQ!

We also will have another Dessert Dash, and welcome your fabulous desserts.  More info on this to follow!

WHAT: BBQ Dinner / Beer-Wine / Music & Dancing

WHEN: Saturday, November 13th, 6:00-11:30 p.m.

WHERE: The Lodge at Beaver Lake (25101 SE 24^th Street)

WHY: Celebrate the 2010 Football Season – Have fun…!

THEME: GO Spartans! *** Wear your Spartan team gear and/or colors…!

COST: Couples - $ 70.00 / Singles - $ 35.00

*** NOTE: Our system (SYFA) has 300 + families and the Lodge capacity is 150 people – meaning space is limited…!

So, if you want to attend - get your tickets early or you will miss out!!!

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Team Managers have tickets for sale for your team!

*** Ticket sales will end on Sunday, November 7th ***

1st Game Playoff Schedule

Hi Rookie Green:
 
Best game of the season on Saturday with a playoff spot on the line. The defense dominated!!! The offense controlled the game... and our Spartans win 21-0 at Mercer Island!!
 
We've got practice Monday and Wednesday at 5pm... please have the kids there by 4:45.
 
Next Saturday we play Issaquah Gold. I watched their game on Saturday... they barely escaped with a win (either 19-13 or 20-13... I left before their extra point attempt with 1:25 left in the game).. The Mercer Island White team they beat had a 2-4 record coming into the game. There are some definite weaknesses on the team that we can exploit. So ISSY Gold in unbeaten.. but their division is much weaker than ours. The kids should have faith.... we have a very good shot to take them out.
 
Coach Mike

Week 6 Conference Standings

We are in "C" Conference.

Reminder: SYFA Food Drive Tomorrow from 8am - 8pm

Spartans -

Reminder tomorrow is the SYFA Non-Perishable Food Drive.  Bring your donations to the covered area by the concession stand between the hours of 8am till 8pm.

For a list of suggested items to donate that the Food Bank is in need of, please click here:  Food Bank.pdf

GO SPARTANS!

SYFA Food Drive

SYFA Families: 

Show your spirit and generosity by participating in the 1st SYFA food drive.  We are sponsoring a food collection drive, this Saturday, 10/16 at Skyline High School.  Please bring canned food items along with baby food to the covered area next to the concession stand.  We will have grocery bags set out to collect the items and take them to the Issaquah Food Bank on Monday morning. Your generous donations are greatly appreciated and will go to help many needy families in our community.  

Thanks in advance for your participation!

Team Photo

SYFA - Spartan Gear UPDATE

SPARTANS!!     

Didn’t order and wished you did?   We have some inventory left, and will be selling it this Saturday at Skyline High School Stadium from 10:00am until 3:00. 

Come and shop!!

Ordered something and didn’t get it yet (Stadium seats, burn-out T’s, dry-fit T’s, hats, jackets, etc) ? 

It’s here!!

Come to Skyline High School Stadium this Saturday and pick it up!  We will be there from 10:00am until 3:00. 

Stop by!

SYFA - Reminder on Field Rules

Spartans -

This is a friendly reminder about the rules that our players and parents are required to follow for the football season.  We have received word that there have been a number of infractions to the rules in the past few weeks. 

Please be aware that the rules are the directive of either Issaquah School District, GEJFA or King County and are applicable at all stadiums.

• ONLY those who's names are on the MASTER ROSTER (for the current game or the following game warm ups) are allowed on the field.  

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• NO KIDS are allowed in the press box.

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• NO PETS are allowed on Issaquah School District Property.

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• NO spectator should use profanity, vulgar language or gestures towards a coach or referee. 

We are very fortunate to have such nice fields to use, please respect the rules set out for us.

Thank you.

SYFA

THURSDAY'S PRACTICE / MAJOR CHANGE / NOW @ HIGHLANDS 5-7PM

Rookie Green:
 
The Skyline Youth Football Association e-mailed the coaches tonight and told us we can not use Pine Lake Field tomorrow. The school sent a last minute e-mail cancelling because of a track meet of some kind.
 
We are going back to the Highlands from 5-7pm tomorrow for more work against our good friends at Issaquah Gold. I was calling around and could have potentially squeezed us onto another field with other Skyline teams... but I spoke with the Issy coach and he gave us a deal that's too good to pass up. He says he wants his boys to practice against quality competition and thinks our boys present great challenges. He also says since they only have 14 or 15 guys... they can't scrimmage each other and rarely can practice special teams... I was just looking for a piece of their field to practice alone.. not wanting to bug them twice in one week.. instead what we've decided on is this.... We'll split the practice into 20- minute segments. I'm sending them details on our Saturday opponent (Liberty) and they will run the Liberty power offense against us so our defense can get good practice... They want to try to run a different kind of offense as well... We'll also get a chance to play our offense against a "Liberty Style" defense.. and our offense against the "regular" Issy Gold defense.
 
So... tomorrow's practice is 5-7pm at the Highlands... the same turf soccer fields in Central Park!! We're very lucky to play this team as often as we do.. I think in the long run it'll make our Spartans better.
  
Take care..
 
Coach Mike

SYFA - Unsportsmanlike Conduct

GEJFA sent out an email this weekend, discussing multiple cases of unacceptable behavior at some games this weekend.  Some reported by opponent coaches, some reported by officials and even one case reported by a spectator who was there just to watch kids play.  Coaches swearing, coaches arguing with officials, coaches calling for fouls, coaches choosing or refusing to shake hands at the end of the game, fans swearing, confronting officials, etc.

Although we know that the SYFA coaches' and parents would not be involved in this type of behavior, the league has asked that we forward the NFHS Rule 9 Contact Foul for all coaches to review.   GEJFA follows the NFHS Rules and all SYFA teams received a copy when they picked up their Master Rosters. 

 Please be aware that the officials will be instructed to penalize teams for poor behavior/sportsmanship.  The later may also mean ejections.

 If you have any comments, please let us know.

SYFA

High School Football Rule Book

Rule: 9-5-1  No player shall act in an unsportsmanlike manner.  Examples are, but not                    

         limited to:

1. Baiting or taunting acts or words or insignia worn which engenders ill will.
2. Using profanity, insulting or vulgar language or gestures.
3. Any delayed, excessive or prolonged act by which a player attempts to focus attention upon himself.
4. Using disconcerting acts or words prior to the snap in an attempt to interfere with A’s signals or movements.
5. Intentionally kicking at the ball, other than during a legal kick.
6. Leaving the field between downs to gain an advantage unless replaced or unless with permission of an official.
7. Refusing to comply with an official’s request.
8. Using tobacco or smokeless tobacco.

Rule: 9-8-1  No coach, substitute, trainer or other team attendant shall act in an

         unsportsmanlike manner.  Examples are, but not limited to:

1. Using profanity, insulting or vulgar language or gestures.
2. Attempting to influence a decision by an official.
3. Disrespectfully addressing an official.
4. Indicating objections to an official’s decision.
5. Using any illegal communication equipment.
6. Holding an unauthorized conference.
7. The failure of a team to be ready to start either half.
8. Failure of the head coach, following verification, to have player(s) wear legal and/or required equipment.
9. Being on the field except as a substitute or replacement player.
10. Using tobacco or smokeless tobacco.
11. Being outside the team box, but not on the field.
12. A substitute who leaves the team box during a fight.

Penalty: if dead ball – 15 yards unsportsmanlike conduct.  Also disqualification if flagrant.  A second unsportsmanlike foul results in disqualification.  A disqualified member of the coaching staff shall be ejected from the stadium area and be prohibited from any further contact, direct or indirect, with the team during the remainder of the game.  For failure to comply, the referee may forfeit the game.

Rule 9-9

Art. 1 A player or non-player or person not subject to the rules shall not hinder play by an

          unfair act which has no specific rule coverage.

Art. 2 No team shall repeatedly commit fouls which halve the distance to the goal line.

Art. 3 Neither team shall commit any act which, in the opinion of the referee, tends to

          make a travesty of the game.

Penalty: Unfair act – the referee enforces any penalty he considers equitable, including the award of a score.  Repeated fouls, the game may be forfeited.

Skyline Youth Night - Friday October 8th

Spartans -

SAVE THE DATE!!! Friday, October 8th is SYFA Youth Night at the Skyline High School Varsity Football Game against Newport High School.

This is a really fun event for our club! Our players wear their game jerseys to the game, the entire club will have reserved seating in the South End Zone, and during Half Time they will go out on the field to form a Spartan 'S' for the high school players to run through.

There will be NO PRESALES for this game, but all football & cheerleader players and coaches will have admission covered and allowed to enter early.

Please alert one of the coaches or our team manager if your player is planning on attending. We need to alert SYFA by Monday, October 4th, with a FINAL count of how many players and how many coaches plan on attending.

We will plan on assembling our team at 5:15pm that evening - as the SYFA early entrance will be at 5:30pm

GO SPARTANS!!

Parents can start breathing again / 3-1 Rookie Green / tough game this week

Hi Rookie Green:

You can start breathing again. What a nerve-racking finish.... I told the kids it doesn't matter if you win by 15, 5, 1 or half a point... a win is a win and they deserve to celebrate.

Congrats to the defense!!! What a great effort... they only gave up one big play (the first TD).. and with the game on the line.. they stopped Lake Washington when only 3- yards separated us from a win or a tie.
The offense made a few mistakes... but I was happy with some of the holes we created. I told the boys.. rather than try to run 50- yards for a td on every play... sometimes we take the first hole and cut for 5-8 yards. We'll work on that and some other things this week. It's also extremely difficult to overcome 2- long TD runs that are called back by penalties. In atleast one of those two cases... there was no reason to toss a flag.. the ball was just crossing the goal line when he called us on it... we really could have had that team down by 3- TD's if not for the penalties.. and the game would have been well in hand... Oh well.. that's sports.. especially when they're 8 and 9 years old.

So.. we're 3-1 through 4 games.. a very nice start to the season. Next week we play 5- Star Liberty. They have some talent... but so do we... I'm condfident our boys can hang with them.

Don't forget.. Monday night we practice up at Central Park in the Highlands. We're scimmaging Issaquah Gold and Issaquah Purple. It's the 2nd time we're taking on Issaquah Gold... they are very good and should help us get ready for the next game. Today Issaquah Gold beat an undefeated and very good Eastlake Black team 19-0... This is a good team to practice our inside runs against.. because they're very tough!!

Please have the kids there by 4:45 so we can get organized...

Take care and thanks for your continues support and spirit.

Coach Mike

SATURDAY TIME CHANGE !!!!!

Rookie Green:

Schedule change for Saturday's game at Lake Washington. One game was already forfeited ahead of ours... so we now play at 2:30pm. Please have the kids there by 1:15.

AGAIN... 2:30 PM SATURDAY!!! Kids have to be there an hour and 15 minutes before kickoff. WHITE JERSEYS!!


Coach Mike

Hi Rookie Green:

3- things.

1) practice tonight at Pine Lake Middle School... see ya there at 4:45
2) game at Lake Washington High School Saturday at 4:30. Kids have to be there by 3:15 at the latest. We are away so wear your WHITE Jersey's The address is 12033 NE 80TH ST in Kirkland... I included directions at the bottom of the page.
3) Monday we will be practicing at the Issaquah Highlands from 5-7pm.. It'll be a "Jamboree style" scrimmage with Issaquah Gold and Issaquah Purple.. where we play offense and defense against both of those teams for 5-7 minute periods... We will wear our GREEN Jersey's. The scrimmage will be at Central Park in the Highlands... look for all the Green, White and Purple!!

See ya tonight.

Mike D

Directions to Lake Washington HS for Saturday
-I-90 West to 405 North
-Exit 10 toward Bellevue/Everett
-Merge onto NE 85TH ST/WA-908 E via EXIT 18 toward REDMOND
-Turn RIGHT onto 120TH AVE NE
-Turn LEFT onto NE 80TH ST
-12033 NE 80TH ST is on the RIGHT

Skyline High School Varsity Game vs. Issaquah - Parking

Spartans -

Tomorrow night at 7pm is the big game with Skyline High School taking on Issaquah High.

We have been informed by Mary Queen of Peace (the Catholic Church directly across the street) that there is a funeral there TOMORROW EVENING.

They are asking for all our Spartan families to look to park in one of the other church parking lots or over at City Hall. The lower parking lot will be reserved solely for the funeral.

Please be respectful of the funeral and the family during this difficult time.

Thanks for your cooperation.

SYFA

Practice Change Monday / 5:00 at Skyline HS

Hi Rookie Green:

Monday night's practice will be held at Skyline HS. Not on the field, but in a classroom watching the tape of Saturday's game. Have the kids wear either a practice jersey or a game jersey and shorts or jeans. NO PADS, NO HELEMTS!!!

Coach Rosemont is kind enough to set up his room with the over-head projector we need to show the kids some of the things we're doing right and wrong as a team. You can drop your kids off in the round-about right in front of the school where the basketball gym is. If you're facing Skyline HS from 228th... it's around to the left... the coaches will wait for all of the kids and then at 5pm we'll walk up as a team. This is a players and coaches only viewing... we have notes and plays we need to hurry through.. so we'd like to be able to address the kids in a timely manner.

We'll walk the kids back down just before 7pm.

Please e-mail me to confirm you've seen this change...

Also, the game film is now up and ready to view. I know you all have busy lives... but take a few moments to watch with your sons if you can. It'll be very easy to see the little things they can change that will make a big difference. Speaking for the offense. You can watch one play that works for 25-30 yards and the next play that gets stopped for a loss. Often times, it's just one player.. taking that play off. Some kids are improvingly greatly at understanding their responsibilities... others are still struggling or just not interested in making enough effort every play. Last week we talked with some kids (including my own) about blocking until the whistle. Please pick out those plays with your kids and it'll make a huge difference.. plus get them ready for tomorrow's session.

Take care... see you tomorrow at Skyline HS.

Mike D